Andrew Rube
Foster dominated the Negro leagues
as a pitcher, manager, owner and league organizer.
His professional career began at age 18, pitching
for New Yorks Cuban X-Giants. He won four games
in the 1903 Colored Championship of the World.

Moving to Chicago in
1906, Foster played for and
managed the Leland Giants, guiding them to 110
wins and 10 losses in 1907 and 126 wins and 6
losses in 1910.

In 1911, in partnership
with white saloonkeeper John Schorling, he founded
the Chicago American Giants, which became one of the greatest teams in
black baseball history. Player, manager, and owner, Foster insisted that
his
team play smart baseballfast and aggressive with bunts,
steals,
hit-and-runs and crafty pitchingwhich made white baseball seem very
sedate. He led his team to Negro League championships in 1914, 1915, and
1917. The Chicago American Giants played at Schorlings Park, located
here at
39th Street and Wentworth Avenue. The Chicago White Sox also played here
before moving to Comiskey Park.

In 1920 Foster created
the Negro National League with several other owners.
The NNL placed black baseball on a solid footing and gained Foster the
reputation of being the father of black baseball. His Giants
won pennants in
1920, 1921, and 1922. The NNL thrived until 1930, the year of Fosters
death. In 1981 Rube Foster was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.